What's the difference?
The third film in a trilogy is often the hardest to get right - Return of the Jedi is not as acclaimed as The Empire Strikes Back.The Godfather III is nowhere near as revered as its predecessors.
Which I mention because we’ve come to the end of our Lotus trilogy, as regular readers may have noticed in recent weeks we have tested the Emira and Eletre.
This time we’re driving the Emeya, the third and final member of the brand’s new line-up (at least for now) that manages to combine elements of both its stablemates.
The Emeya is Lotus’ direct rival to the Audi e-tron GT and Porsche Taycan, an electric sports sedan that takes elements of the Emira’s dynamics and pairs it with the Eletre’s powertrain and style.
So let’s find out how this final installment of the Lotus trilogy has a happy ending or not…
You’re after a premium SUV with size for five, without exceeding the ideal metropolitan footprint. It should have adequate oomph for occasional forays into wider open spaces, but offer enough comfort and luxury to keep you cool and relaxed in the city.
And you’d rather look at something outside the predictable Euro brand path. The Lexus UX 200 F-Sport may just be your ideal urban companion.
As both the conclusion to this Lotus trilogy, but also a car in its own right, the Emeya earns a positive review. It was fitting that I happened to drive the brand’s three newest models in the order I did - Emira, Eletre, Emeya - because it turned out to be the most interesting way to experience them.
The Emira is the swansong for Lotus as we knew it, while also giving a hint of what is to come, while the Eletre rockets into a dramatically different realm. But the Emeya manages to combine elements of both - the dynamic edge from the Emira with the luxurious and electric influence of the Eletre - resulting in a very likeable modern sports sedan.
The Lexus UX 200 F Sport really steps up in the urban context. It’s big enough, energetic enough (especially using the Sport setting and the CVT’s manual mode), and delivers good value for the price. We’d like more boot space, a little more room in the back seat, and the Remote Touch media interface deposited in the bin. But overall it’s a great premium option for young families or active couples in the city.